Electric measuring instrument.



H. W. BROWN.

ELECTRIC MEASURING INSTRUMENT.

APPLICATION HL ED OCT- 8. 1910.

Patented July 4,- 1916.

I f l I l I l I I I l I I I I I l i i I 1 I I i i I I i I I l I IINVENTOR ATTORNEY avw CL S 8 CL N n W UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HAROLD W. BROWN, 0]? WILKINSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR T0 WESTING-HOUSE ELECTRIC AND MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENN-SYLVANIA.

ELECTRIC MEASURING INSTRUMENT.

Patented July 4, 1916.

Application filed October 8, 1910. Serial No. 586,088.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, HAROLD W. BROWN, acitizen of the United States, and a resident of Wilkinsburg, in thecounty of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new anduseful Improvement in Electric Measuring Instruments, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention'relates to electric measuring instruments and it hasspecial reference to instruments of the motor type which comprisestationary and rotating parts.

The object of my invention is to provide simple and effective means forrecording or indicating electric circuit variations by utilizing a metermechanism of the type referred to above, the arrangement of parts beingsuch that the position of the marker or pointer is dependent upon thetorque exerted by the rotating part of the meter.

Meters or instruments of the motor type have been used extensively forintegrating instruments but, for recording and indicating purposes,meter mechanisms embodying movable members having limited adjustmentrelative to the stationary members have usually been employed.

According to my present invention, I materially simplify the operatingparts of a recording instrument by making use of a meter mechanismcomprising a rotatable member which exerts varying torques ac cording topredetermined changes in the electric circuit'to which the meter is connected.

Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings is an elevation of a measuringinstrument constructed in accordance with my invention, and Fig. 2 is adiagrammatic view showing the circuit connections for the metermechanism of the instrument shown in Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, the device here shown comprises a stationarycore member 1 having pole pieces 2, a stationary cylindrical core member4 which is adapted to decrease the reluctance of the magnetic circuitand a rotatable armature 5 which is of hollow cylindrical form andoperates in the air gap between two stationary core members.

The electro-magnetical portions of the instrument constitute practicallya series transformer in which the outer coils 6 form the primary windingand the inner coils 7 the secondary winding. The secondary windmg isconnected in series with auxiliary coils 8 which surround the portionsof the pole pieces that are reduced in section by the recesses 3.

The hollow cylindrical member 5 is supported by a shaft 9 which isprovided at one end with a pinion 10.

The meter mechanism forms no part of my present invention and may bereplaced by any suitable mechanism comprising a movable member in whicha torque is produced that is dependent on predetermined variations intheelectric circuit to which the device is connected.

The mechanism illustrated is particularly adapted for use on alternatingcurrent circuits and is shown and described in Patent No. 794,395,granted July 11, 1905, to the Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing 00.,on an application filed January 20, 1904, by Frank Conrad.

' The recording mechanism of the instrument comprises a gear segment 11which is pivotally mounted on a shaft 12 and meshes with the pinion 10,a lever 13 which is adjustably supported in a slotted bracket 14 andcarries'a reservoir pen 15, or other marking device, at its oppositeextremity; a guide link 16, which is pivotally connected to anintermediate point 17 in the link 13 and is pivotally supported on astationary pin or shaft 18 at its opposite end, and a link 19 whichforms an operative connection between the gear segment 11 and the lever13. The gear segment 11 is provided with a spiral spring 26 which tendsto oppose the movement produced by the movable member 5 of the metermechanism.

The pen, or other marking device, 15 is moved over a record strip 20,carried by a platen roll 21. The dimensions and ar rangements of thelevers just described are such that rotative movements of the gearsegment 11 produce a stright-line movement of the pen across the face ofthe platen roll. Circular or other movements of the pen may be producedaccording to the record desired.

The platen roll may be operated in any suitable manner and is preferablydriven through intermediate gearing 21 by means of a clock mechanism(not shown) that is supported in the frame 22. The" clock is preferablyof the self-winding type in order that the record strip may hecontinuously operated without interruption.

The ends of the platen roll are provided with teeth, or projections,that are adapted to register with corresponding apertures in the edgesof the record strip, the strip being thereby drawn from a supply roll25.

The structural details of the clock form no part of my present inventionand. since such structm'es are well known to the art, I deem itunnecessary to include a detailed description of the parts.

The operation of the instrmnent is as follows: Assuming that theparts'occupy the positions shown in the drawings, the gear segment 11being held against a stop 27 by means oi the spring 23, it theinstrument is connected to an electric circuit a torque will be producedin the rotating member of the meter mechanism which will cause the pinion to rotate and the gear segment to move in opposition to the spring.The extent to which the segment will be adjusted will dc pend upon thetorque exerted by the member 5 since the opposing action on the springincreases as it is wound up and, consequently, the parts will come torest when the two forces are equal. As the circuit conditions vary, thesegment will be adjust' ed in the one direction or the other, accordingas the spring or the torque of the meter mechanism predominates. Sincethe link 13 is connect d to the gear segment by means of the link 19.the movement oi the gear segment will produce a corresponding movementof the link and, since the foun ain pen or other marking device, 15, isattached to the link and rests on the record strip 20. a record will bepro duced which will depend upon the torque variations in the metermechanism and it is only necessary to properly calibrate the recordstrip and adjust the spring in order to secure a true record or thecurrent or other variations in the electric circuit to which the meteris connected.

lhe recording mechanism of my invention will commend itseli to thoseskilled in the art, not only on account of its simplici y. but also byreason of the fact that it is equally applicable for use with metermechanisms of various kinds which may be adapted for single or polyphasealternating current or for direct current circuits.

By properly determining the direction of application for the link 19,the scale divisions on the record strip, or on an indicating dial, maybe made substantially uniform.

The gear segment 11 may obviously be replaced by a rack or by some othersuitable means for producing any desired adjustment of the pen Ormarking device, in

response to a rotary movement oi. the armature or rotor of he metermechanism. The fact that a immber of complete revolutions ol the rotorare permitted tends to increase the torque and reduce the amount 01"energy necessarily expanded in the meter. The accuracy of the record forthe expenditure of given amount of energy is accordingly increased.

The spiral spring 26 may, of course, be replaced by springs oi otherkinds, by a system of weights which depend upon the attraction ofgravity, or by some other uivalent device. It weights are employed,hmvrver, they must act in such a way as to otler increasing oppositionto the increasing torques exerted by the meter. ll desire that only suchlimitations shall be imposed as are indicated in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a measuring instrument for an electric circuit, the combinationwith a meter mechanism comprising a rotatable member and a stationarymember connected directly to the electric circuit, of a reducing gearingdirectly actuated by the rotatable member, a marking device actuated bythe reducing gearing, and a resilient means for so directly opposing thetorque oi the rotatable member that the rotatable member is re turned toits initial position when no current traverses the circuit.

2. In a measuring instrument for an electric circuit, the combination.with a meter mechanism comprising a rotatable member and a stationarymember connected directly to the electric circuit, of: a reducinggearing directly actuated by the rotatable member, a marking deviceactuated by the reducing gearing. and means for opposing the torque ofthe rotatable member whereby the marking device is adjusted to a greateror less degree in proportion to the electriccircuit variations.

in a measuring instrument for an electric circuit, the combination witha meter mechanism comprising a rotatable member actuated directly by theenergy traversing the electric circuit, of a marking device. a "educinggearing actuated by the rotatable member and adapted to operate themarking device, and yielding means for so opposing the torque exerted bythe rotatable member as to return the rotatable member to its initialposition under predetermined conditions.

4-. A measuring instrument for an electric circuit comprising a meterarmatureadapted to be actuated directly by the energy traversing thecircuit, a reduction gearing connected directly to the armature, amarkin g device actuated by the armature through he reduction gearing,and a spring for opposing the operation ot the armature and incooperation therewith to actuate the marking device in accordance withthe energy traversing the circuit.

5. A measuring instrument for an electric circuit comprising a meterarmature operatively connected to the circuit and adapted to movethrough a plurality of complete rotations, means for opposing the torqueof the armature, a pinion operatively connected 10 to the armature, astraight-1ine-motion device actuated by the said pinion, and a markingdevice actuated by the said straight-1inemotion device.

6. A measuring instrument for an electric circuit comprising a singlemotor-meter con- 5 said straight-line-motion device and a spring 20 foropposing the rotation of the armature. In testimony whereof, I havehereunto subscribed my name this 3rd day of October, 1910.

HAROLD W. BROWN. Witnesses:

JOHN MORAN, B. B. HINES.

Copiu of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe "Commissioner of Patents.

. Washington. D. O.

